Having a hit song is great, but that also means that you're doomed to play that song live every single show for the rest of your career. Which could be a good thing if you like the song! Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme certainly likes his bands hits, and he's down to play 'em for you.
Homme said in an interview with Tuna On Toast With Stryker that he feels avoiding your hits live is an insult to fans, and acting like they a burden is kinda shitty.
"I understand that I'm always going to play 'No One Knows' because I still like playing that song, and that's something that, it's an agreement with the audience. 'I assume that this is a part of coming here to see us, and here you go.'"
"When there's bands that don't wanna play their big song or their big songs, I always think it's a little cunty to do that. [Laughs] Acting like a song that a lot of people like is a burden is just a strange reaction to the gift that your fans have given you. Seems like an odd reaction."
Homme later elaborated, saying he feels you as an artist have a contract with the fans to deliver what they want at a show. Which seems like a fair assessment – they're paying you to put on a show, and it's a show that you're gonna have to give 'em.
"I think especially when something blows up, I can understand perhaps that feeling of it's overshadowing the rest of what you do and all. But perhaps these are uptown problems, you know? And while I understand bits of that sentiment, I don't think the end result can be that you deny the sort of world that that song would give you… In the years of doing this, I've seen a lot of artists do that — at times they sort of get angry at their own music for doing well, for creating this world."
"I don't know. Having fans is a cool thing, and they want stuff, and when it comes to playing the stuff they want, I feel like that that's why this is happening, right? You guys are all here because you wanna hear some stuff and also have no idea what's gonna happen. And you needed to have that basic food group in order for me to surprise you, too. Surprise requires knowing some constants are going to happen, you know?
"So, I don't know. I don't sweat stuff like that. Why would I not play 'No One Knows'?"
Queens Of The Stone Age just released their new album In Times New Roman, and will hit the road for two tour legs this year – one support by Phantogram and The Armed, and another supported by Viagra Boys and Jehnny Beth. Get those dates below and get your tickets here.
w/ Phantogram & The Armed
8/3 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
8/4 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
8/5 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE Outdoors
8/7 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheatre
8/8 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at the Mann
8/9 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
8/11 – Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena
8/12 – Queens, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
8/15 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
8/16 – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit
8/18 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
8/19 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
w/ Viagra Boys & Jehnny Beth
9/16 – Chicago, IL – Riot Fest (Queens Of The Stone Age only)
9/17 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
9/19 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse
9/20 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
9/22 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
9/23 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
9/24 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life
9/26 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
9/27 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion
9/29 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
9/30 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Great Saltair
10/2 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
10/3 – Vancouver, BC – Pacific Coliseum
10/4 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
10/6 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
10/8 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock
